Induction of S-phase entry by a gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (buserelin) in the frog, Rana esculenta, primary spermatogonia.

In the testis of the frog, Rana esculenta, mitotic activity of primary spermatogonia is regulated by gonadotropins and synergistically by testosterone. In addition GnRH-like material directly stimulates gonadal activity. Intact animals were treated with a GnRH agonist (GnRHa, buserelin, Hoechst) and/or a GnRH antagonist giving injections intraperitoneally on alternate days for 15 days. Moreover, testes were treated in vitro for 24 hr with GnRHa. 3H-thymidine and colchicine were used to assess the labelling and the mitotic index (LI and MI) of primary spermatogonia. Both LI and MI were increased by the treatment with GnRHa but the rate of cells measured by LI was significantly higher than that of cells measured by MI. Therefore, our results confirm the role of GnRH-like material as local regulator of the testicular activity in vertebrates and show its involvement in promoting the G1-S transition of spermatogonial cell cycle in the frog, Rana esculenta.